Method of constructing and assembling radiator-cores



T. N.'.COFFELDER.

METHOD OF CONSTBUCTING AND ASSEMBLING RADIATOR CORES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, l9IB.

Patented Feb. 1,1921.

Xf/orn ey UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS N. COFFELDER, 0F EDGEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR To LIBE RADIATOR COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD or consraucrme AND ASSEMBLING RADIATOR -GORES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS N. Corrnnnnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Edgewood, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented.

spaced relation, and then to dip the structure in solder, thus permanently securing the assembly. The practice of this method, however, entails the use of a large quantity of solder, which serves only to secure the assembly and is otherwise of detrimental effect in the functioning of the device for the rea' son that the accumulated quantities of solderon the tubes and fins interfere more or less seriously with heat radiation, and also add disadvantageously to the weight of the device.

The object of my invention 1s, therefore, to provide a method of constructing and assembling radiator cores whereby the necessity for the use ofsolder to secure the roper assembly of the tubes and fins entering into the core construction is obviated, the peculiar construction of the radiator tubes and fins and the mechanical assembly thereof, overcoming the need therefor, thus reducing the weight and increasing the efiiciency of the core.

In the drawings g Figure 1 is a perspective of tubes and fins in the process of assembly in accordance with the present invention.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are detailed views illustrating various steps in assembhng tubes and fins in accordance with the present 1nvention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating the positioning of a fin upon the tube. a

The parts of a radiator core constructed for assembly in accordance with the present Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Application filed July 1, 1918. Serial No. 242,743.

invention, and as typically illustrated in the drawings, comprise tubes 1, having seamed edges 2, the said edges being provided with notches 3 at regularly spaced intervals. Each of said tubes comprises a single sheet of metal folded together, the edges thereof being internally soldered to form the seam 2. The tubes as thus constructed, and as embodying an essential requisite of this invention, have entirely straight, smooth and unobstructed outer surfaces; they have also straight, smooth and unobstructed inner surfaces. Said parts comprise also for assembly with the tubes fins 4, which have transverse slots 5, within which the tubes 1 are adapted to fit. The slots 5, as arran ed for tubes of the preferred construction, il ustrated in the drawings, extend approximately from the front to the rear edges of the fins, but leave the said front and rear edges 6 and 7, respectively, continuous and unbroken as shown. At the sides of the slots 5 are flanges 8 which converge toward their free edges.

In assembling tubes and fins having the characteristic features above described, the required number of tubes entering into the construction of the desired core is preferably placed on fingers or mandrels 9, with cor responding notches 3 of the several tubes in.

alinement. B means of the mandrels 9 the tubes are hel ,in proper spaced relation to each other, and are stiffened to prevent buclrling during the application of the fins. A fin is then moved lon itudinally along the tubes, as indicated in ig. 5, the latter entering and passing through the slots of the former, until the fin has reached the desired point upon the tubes, in which position it is illustrated in Fig. 2. As thus placed upon the tubesthe front edge 6 of the fin is opposite alined notches 3, in the front edges 2 of the tubes. The fin isthen moved transversely of the tubes, causing the front of the fin to enter into the notches 3, thereby interlockin the frontedges of the tubes and fins, as in icatedin Fig. 3. In order to maintain this interlock the rear edge 7 of the sides of the tubes thereby cooperating.

frictionally to sustain the assembly. The

converging flanges 8 by thus providing the number required; for the core are then applied in the same manner. The assembly of the fins upon the tubes, as above set forth, it will be understood, may be accomplished either manually or by any suitable mechanism,such for instance, as is particularly set forth in my pending application, Serial Number 227,261, filed April 8, 1918. It will, however, be necessary ordinarily, both for properl stiffening and sustaining the -,tubes; and or holding the same in proper spaced relation, to employ fingers or mandrels9, asillustrated in the drawings herein. While, for convenience of assembling, it is preferred-to holdthe series of tubes stationany and, move the fins longitudinally and transversely thereon, the operation may be reversed, that is, the fins held stationary and thetubes moved endwise through the slots in the fins and then transversely therein,

; the essential features of the present method comprising the relative positioning of the fins longitudinally along the tubes and then transversely relative to the tubes to interlock the same,

The assembly of-a radiator core in accordrance with the presentinvention, it will be seen, may beaecomplished with a minimum of; labonand material, it being only necessarytospace the fins upon the tubes by moving the-same longitudinally thereon and to 7 Having thus fully described my invention interlock thefins and tubes by moving the fins transversely of the tubes into the notches thereof. In thismann-er of assembly the use of-fsolder for permanently maintaining the tubes andj fins in proper spaced relation is entirely, obviated, this; function being mechanically performed by the interlocking of the-parts.

what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is a 1. Thesmethod of assemblinga radiator core, comprising-tubes -each ofwhich has notches at intervals along one of its edges, and fins each of which vhas slots arranged to. receive said tubes, consisting iii-supportl ng a series of tubes inrparallel relation and properlyspaced with corresponding notches of thexseveral tubes inalinement, moving .said' i'fins longitudinally relative to said tubes, to space thesame thereon, with one edge-of each fi'n opposite alined notches in th'e' tubes and thenmoving the fin transversely relative to the tubes to cause the edge of the fin to enter into alined notches in the tubes to interlock the tubes and fins 2. The method of assembling a radiator core comprising tubes each of which has notches at intervals along one of its edges, and fins each of which has slots arranged to receive said tubes, consisting of supporting the tubes internally with corresponding notches of the several tubes in alinement, moving said fins longitudinally relative to said tubes to space the same thereon with one edge of each fin opposite alined notches in the tubes, then moving the fins transversely relative to the tubes to cause the edges of the fins to enter into alined notches in the tubes to interlock the tubes and fins and then removing the internal supports from the tubes.

3. The method of assembling a radiator core comprising tubes each of which has notches at intervals along one of its edges. and fins each of which has slots arranged to receive said tubes, consisting in supporting a number of tubes with corresponding notches of the several tubes in alinement, moving successive fins longitudinally relative to the tubes to space the same thereon with one edge of each fin opposite alined notches in the tubes, then moving the fins transversely relative to the tubes to cause the edges of the fins to enter into alined notches in the tubes to interlock the tubes and fins, and then folding the other edges of the fins against the other edges of the tubes to secure the same.

4. The method of assembling a radiator core, comprising tubes each of which has notches at intervals along one of its edges, and fins each of which has slots arranged to receive said tubes, consisting in supporting a series of said tubes properly spaced and. in parallel relation with corresponding notches of the several tubes in alinement, moving a fin longitudinally relative to said tubes, to space the same thereon, with one edge opposite a row of alined notches in the tubes, then moving said fin transversely relative to the tubes to cause its edge to enter into the alined notchesin the tubes to interlock the tubes and fin, and then repeating said operations with individual fins, interlocking each successive fin in the alined notches adjacent the preceding fin until the required number of fins have been placed upon the tubes.

5. The method of assembling a radiator core, comprising tubes each of which has notches at intervals along one of its edges, and fins each of which has slots arranged to receive said tubes, consisting of supporting the tubes internally with corresponding notches of the several tubes in alinement, next moving a fin longitudinally relativeto said tubes to space the same thereon with one edge opposite the alined notches at the far ends of the tubes, then moving the said fin transversely relative to the tubes to cause the edge of the fin to enter into said notches to interlock the fin with said tubes, then re eating said operations with individual ns, interlocking each successive fin in the alined notches adjacent the preceding fin, until the required number of fins have been placed upon the tubes and then removing the internal supports from the tubes.

6. The method of assembling a radiator core comprising tubes each of which has notches at intervals along one of its edges, and fins each of which has slots arranged to receive said tubes, consisting in supporting a number of tubes with corresponding notches of the several tubes in alinement, then moving a fin longitudinally relative to said tubes to space the same thereon with one edge opposite alined notches at the far ends of the tubes, then moving said fin transversely relative to the tubes to cause the edge of the fin to enter into said notches to interlock the fin with said tubes, then folding the other edge of the fin against the other edges of the tubes to secure the same, and then repeating said operations with individual fins, interlocking each successive fin in the alined notches adjacent the preceding fin, until the required number of fins have been placed upon the tubes.

7. The method of assembling a radiator core comprising tubes, each of which has notches at intervals along one of its edges, and fins each of which has slots arranged to receive said tubes, consisting of supporting the tubes internally with corresponding notches of the several tubes in. alinement, moving said fins longitudinally relative to sald tubes to space the same thereon with one edge of each fin opposite alined notches in the tubes, then moving the fins transversely relative to the tubes to cause the edges of the fins to enter into alined notches in the tubes to interlock the tubes and fins, then folding the other edges of the fins against the other edges of the tubes to secure the same, and then removing the internal supports from the tubes.

8. The method of assembling a radiator core comprising tubes, each of which has notches at intervals along one of its edges, and fins each of which has slots arranged to receive said tubes, consisting of supporting the tubes internally with corres onding notches of the several tubes in alinement, next moving a fin longitudinally relative to said tubes to space the same thereon with one edge opposite the alined notches at the far ends of the tubes, then moving the said fin transversely relative to the tubes to cause the edge of the fin to enter into said notches to interlock the fin with said tubes, then folding the other edge of the fin against the other edges of the tubes to secure the same, then repeating said operations with individual fins, interlocking each successive fin in the alined notches adjacent the preceding fin, until the required number of fins have been placed upon the tubes, and then removing the internal supports from the tubes.

THOMAS N. COFFELDER. Witness:

F. W. WINLER. 

